# Directus Pro Tip: Copy/Paste Raw Value the Smart Way

**URL:** <https://community.directus.com/t/directus-pro-tip-copy-paste-raw-value-the-smart-way/999>\
**Category:** Tips & Tricks\
**Created:** [August 20, 2025, 8:12am UTC](https://community.directus.com/t/directus-pro-tip-copy-paste-raw-value-the-smart-way/999 "2025-08-20T08:12:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ahmad\_quvor](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.directus.com/ahmad_quvor/32/310_2.png) [@ahmad\_quvor](https://community.directus.com/u/ahmad_quvor)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2025, 8:12am UTC](https://community.directus.com/t/directus-pro-tip-copy-paste-raw-value-the-smart-way/999/1 "2025-08-20T08:12:04Z")

</div>

Ever caught yourself typing the same complex JSON or permission rule over and over? Directus has a feature that can save you a ton of time and reduce mistakes: the **Copy/Paste raw value** buttons. Here’s how I’ve been using them.

## Where to Find It

Next to most fields, you’ll see a small downward arrow icon; click on that and a dropdown will appear:

- **Copy raw value**
- **Paste raw value**

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/directus/original/1X/d3846de4649fae5ada5dd91289ca5bd7fcf5eca7.png)

They look simple, but for anyone working with complex configurations, they’re incredibly powerful.

## Example: Permissions

Imagine you’re building an employee management system where users should only update or delete documents they uploaded. Instead of recreating the same rule multiple times:

**Step 1:** Create your Read permission rule:

```json
{
  "_and": [
    {
      "absences": {
        "absence_id": {
          "submitted_by": {
            "_eq": "$CURRENT_USER"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  ]
}

```

**Step 2:** Copy the raw value.

**Step 3:** Go to Update/Delete permissions and paste the raw value.

And that’s it — consistent permissions in seconds.

## Other Great Uses

1. **Template fields**  
Copy template structures between similar fields:

` {{first_name}} {{last_name}} {{role.name}}`

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/directus/original/1X/52e0d1eb872a3e334a3da68470f5373ccc00ed7b.png)

## When to Use This

- Permission rules across multiple actions
- Similar field configurations in different collections
- Complex validation rules
- Interface option setups
- Default value patterns
- Translation objects
- Conditional logic rules

* * *

This small feature has saved me countless hours of re-typing and prevented more mistakes than I can count. If you haven’t tried it yet, give it a shot the next time you’re working with complex permissions in Directus.

What about you? Have you found creative ways to use the copy/paste raw value feature? Share your tips, I’d love to learn more!